Peter John Polos

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Peter John Polos: Attorney with Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP
Attorney Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer AV Preeminent Rating
About Attorney Awards

Biography

The Honorable Peter J. Polos (ret.) is Of Counsel to the firm and serves as its Director of Litigation. In that role, he assists in overseeing the firm's entire litigation practice, providing a unique perspective as both an experienced trial lawyer and as a judge who understands effective case presentation. Prior to joining Panish Shea Boyle LLP, Judge Polos spent eight years as a Superior Court Judge in Orange County, California. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Gray Davis in 2001 and sat for almost five years on the General Civil Panel hearing complex tort, business, employment and product liability cases. He presided over 250 trials, including the City of Anaheim v. L. A. Angels of Anaheim naming case as well as numerous other high profile cases. His assignments also included handling misdemeanor and felony criminal jury trials. During his time on the bench, Judge Polos was appointed by the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court to serve two terms as a member of the Judicial Council's Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee. He served on both the Complex and Uniform Rules Subcommittees and Co-chaired the committee for Minor's Compromise reform. Judge Polos served two terms as an alternate on the Court's Executive Committee and was a long time member of the Grand Jury Selection Committee and the Educational Committee. He previously served on the Court Technology Committee and the Court Referral Program Advisory Council. He also was asked by the presiding judge to serve as a mentor Judge to newly appointed Judges. Before his appointment to the bench in 2001, Judge Polos practiced complex plaintiff's litigation, including mass tort, product liability and medical malpractice cases. Judge Polos served as a member of the Plaintiff's Executive Committee of the Coordinated Fen/Phen Litigation, on the Executive Committee for the Coordinated Ford/Firestone Litigation, and as Co-Lead Counsel for Southern California for the Coordinated Sulzer Hip Litigation. He was the primary handling attorney on over 2000 Superior Court Cases which resulted in over one billion dollars in settlements. The mass tort cases he has been involved with collectively have settled for over seven billion dollars. Judge Polos practiced with David M. Harney in Los Angeles from 1990 to 1996 and was a partner at Lopez, Hodes, Restaino, Milman, Skikos Polos in Newport Beach from 1996 to December 2001. Judge Polos attended UCLA on a Water Polo scholarship and earned his undergraduate degree in Economics in 1987. While at UCLA, he was a member of the Air Force ROTC and earned one of two quotas given to all Southern California ROTC members to enter flight school after graduation. He also earned his pilot's license for a Cessna 152 while at UCLA. Judge Polos graduated from Loyola Law School with his JD in 1990. Judge Polos is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He serves on the ABTL Judicial Advisory Committee and is a member of the Banyard Inn of Court. He was the 2003 recipient of the W. Patrick McCray award presented by the West Orange County Bar Association. Judge Polos has two children in elementary school and has been married to his wife, Kristie, for over 12 years. His hobbies include coaching his kids' sports teams and golf.
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Areas of Practice (7)

  • Plaintiffs Personal Injury
  • Catastrophic Injury
  • Mass Torts
  • Wrongful Death
  • Products Liability
  • Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1987
Law School Attended:
Loyola Law School, J.D., 1990
Year of First Admission:
1990
Admission:
1990, California; 2021, Nevada; 1993, District of Columbia
Languages:
English
ISLN:
904373644

Payment Information

Other Information
Free initial consultation

Peer Reviews

5.0/5.0 (29 reviews)
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rating Badge

  • Legal Knowledge

    5.0/5.0

  • Analytical Capability

    5.0/5.0

  • Judgment

    5.0/5.0

  • Communication

    5.0/5.0

  • Legal Experience

    5.0/5.0

  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 02/01/13 in Personal Injury

    I have known Mr Polos from the time he was a lawyer up to until now. Mr Polos was an excellent lawyer beofre he bacame a judge, was a highly respected judge & now back in private practice. Mr Polos is honest, trustworthy & is of high moral character.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Sole Practitioner on 01/30/13 in Torts

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Principal on 01/28/13 in Personal Injury

    Hon. Peter Polos (Ret.) is in private practice for one of the best law firms in California. He was very well respected as a lawyer, on the bench, and now in private practice once again. He upholds the highest ethical standards and is a very fine pr... Read more

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 01/25/13 in Personal Injury

    Peter Polos has been an exemplary leader to me throughout my career. A voice of reason, morale, wisdom and good judgement. I look to him for advice on some of the most difficult cases I take.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 01/24/13 in Products Liability

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Managing Partner on 01/21/13 in Personal Injury

    Peter is an excellent lawyer who I worked with while in law school and joined his firm in newport Beach after I became a lawyer. He is fair, hard working and truly cares about his clients.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 01/16/13 in Personal Injury

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Managing Partner on 01/16/13 in Personal Injury

    Peter is an exceptional attorney and person. He was a great Judge of the Superior Court as well.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Sole Practitioner on 01/13/13 in Personal Injury

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Sole Practitioner on 01/13/13 in Civil Litigation

    I have known Peter Polos, professionally and personally, since 1991. During that time, I have observed first-hand that, as an attorney and as a former judge, he clearly meets the ethical and capability requirements that justify an AV rating.

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Peer reviews submitted prior to 2008 are not displayed.

Client Reviews Write a Review

Location

Video Call Options

  • Zoom

Contact Peter John Polos

Contact Information:

310-882-7701  Phone

310-477-1699  Fax

www.psandb.com

www.panish.law

www.panish.law/peter-j-polos.html

www.panish.law/nevada

www.panish.law/riverside-personal-injury-lawyer.html

www.panish.law/san-bernardino-personal-injury-lawyer.html

www.panish.law/orange-county-personal-injury-attorneys.html

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